America comic characters appearing in UK comics

Cap Haggis · Post by **Cap Haggis** » 27 Jun 2007, 22:56

I was wondering if anyone knew if any US characters appearing in UK comics (not including the obviosus such as the UK Mavels in the 70s, Pannini Marvel/DC reprints , Simpsons, Titan publications etc) but did any US strips appear in "traditional" UK comics (I read that the Silver Surfer appeared in TV21??). What about characters from Harvey (Casper, Wendy, Richie Rich0 or the other lesser known publishers did any of their characters appear in UK books?

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 27 Jun 2007, 23:25

Cap Haggis wrote:I was wondering if anyone knew if any US characters appearing in UK comics (not including the obviosus such as the UK Mavels in the 70s, Pannini Marvel/DC reprints , Simpsons, Titan publications etc) but did any US strips appear in "traditional" UK comics (I read that the Silver Surfer appeared in TV21??). What about characters from Harvey (Casper, Wendy, Richie Rich0 or the other lesser known publishers did any of their characters appear in UK books?

Blimey, where to start? Various Marvel characters appeared in the Odhams comics of the sixties: The Hulk and later Daredevil in Smash! (where Batman also starred, on the cover) , Fantastic Four were in Wham!, Spider-Man and Nick Fury in Pow!, Tales of Asgard in Eagle.

Spider-Man, Ringo Kid, Ghost Rider and Silver Surfer were in TV21 towards the end of the comic's life. Magnus Robot Fighter was in TV Tornado. Superman was in Buster in the early sixties. Disney comic strips appeared in Film Fun.

Loads of others too no doubt, but that's just a few.

Lew

PaulTwist · Post by **PaulTwist** » 27 Jun 2007, 23:51

Lew Stringer wrote:
Superman was in Buster in the early sixties.

Lew

Cripes! I never knew that.

john56peter756brit · Post by **john56peter756brit** » 28 Jun 2007, 00:00

I coloured some of those early marvel reprints in tv21 .

Cap Haggis · Post by **Cap Haggis** » 28 Jun 2007, 00:11

Thanks Lew - I knew about the Odhams ones (sorry I forgot to mention in my question) had no idea about Superman in the Buster at all thats very new to me - Ringo Kid in TV21 (and one of the colourists on line as well) and Magnus I was not aware of - anymore fromthe lesser companies like Harvey???-

john56peter756brit · Post by **john56peter756brit** » 28 Jun 2007, 00:35

That was a right cock up the silver surfer strip in tv21 they would cut the marvel print up and stick them down on some art board and get it photographed then stick on the speach bubbles re draw up the artwork it looked a mess.

NP · Post by NP » 28 Jun 2007, 08:15

Yes, Superman has cropped up a few times, but I think his first British appearance must have been in a DC Thomson paper, can't recall which one, maybe Hotspur or was there one called Adventure? Anyway, Superman reprints were published in about 1939 or 1940 for a few weeks. He even made it onto the cover at least twice, printed in Blue and yellow, but redrawn by a British artist. (Sorry, don't recall who. Blimey, I can't remember much today!) :Anyway, that must be the first American Superhero reprint... unless of course...

Cap Haggis · Post by **Cap Haggis** » 28 Jun 2007, 09:58

Thanks again - I wasn't aware that US reprints appeared in anmy traditioanl UK comics before the 1960's and at DCT of all places - suppose that shows how "big" Superman was in the early days - I'll need to look out the Surfer strips in TV21 (he's my fav US superhero character along with Green Lantern) - I seem to remember TV21 being a very neat looking comic about that time (when it became a "standard" looking UK comic) as well for some reason.

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 28 Jun 2007, 10:19

Cap Haggis wrote:Thanks again - I wasn't aware that US reprints appeared in anmy traditioanl UK comics before the 1960's and at DCT of all places - suppose that shows how "big" Superman was in the early days - I'll need to look out the Surfer strips in TV21 (he's my fav US superhero character along with Green Lantern) - I seem to remember TV21 being a very neat looking comic about that time (when it became a "standard" looking UK comic) as well for some reason.

As John says though, the Silver Surfer reprints in TV21 were very heavily edited; dialogue changed in some places, panels rearranged to suit the UK format, some panels dropped altogether etc. Same goes for the other Marvel reprints there too. You'd be better off buying the Essential Silver Surfer vol 1, or if you want it in colour, the Silver Surfer Omnibus.

Lew

Kashgar · Post by **Kashgar** » 28 Jun 2007, 10:44

When Superman appeared in Buster in 1961 this was due to the comics amalgamation with Radio Fun which had been featuring Supes since 1959. I'm pretty certain that his first outing in a British paper was in the Amalgamated Press title 'Triumph' in 1939-1940. He certainly never appeared in any of the D C Thomson titles.

Kashgar · Post by **Kashgar** » 28 Jun 2007, 14:05

Update on previous post. Superman's first appearance in a British paper was in Triumph No 772 in 1939 and British artist John 'Jock' McCail drew a couple of Superman covers for the paper during the strips run. I think that is who Nigel may be thinking about.
Speaking of Thomson stuff though D C Thomsons tabloid comic Topper did print various US newspaper comic strips notably 'Nancy' by Ernie Bushmiller, which clocked up a very creditable twenty year run, and 'The Bustem Boys', a reprint of Rudolf Dirks 'Captain and the Kids', which ran for six years. Ernie Bushmiller also chipping in with 'Fritzi Ritz', his strip featuring a smart society girl, in the comics first 99 issues and not forgetting a brief five week run for John Celardo's version of 'Tarzan' in 1960.

Brendan McGuire · Post by **Brendan McGuire** » 29 Jun 2007, 01:50

Didn't the Phantom feature in TV Tornado too?

David Simpson · Post by **David Simpson** » 29 Jun 2007, 09:23

I have an early 60s Buster annual including US comic strip character Johnny Hazard, so I assume he appeared in Buster thereabouts.

David Simpson

chrissmillie · Post by **chrissmillie** » 29 Jun 2007, 18:59

Not to mention Streamline Comics such as Fight, Blue Circle etc that reprinted a lot of American material during the 1940s and especially the 50s.

Chris

NP · Post by NP » 30 Jun 2007, 21:51

Ah yes, the old memory let me down there, what an idiot! but still, I got the year right!!

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